The New Zealand Colts team toured Australia and Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka) in 1955.
The team included future All Blacks such as Colin Meads and Wilson Whineray. They played a series of matches in both countries, with some notable victories.
Key Details:
Tour: The New Zealand Colts team toured Australia and Ceylon in 1955.
Touring Players: The team included future All Blacks like Colin Meads and Wilson Whineray.
Matches: They played a series of matches in both Australia and Ceylon.
Results: The Colts had some successful results, including victories against combined Colombo teams, Up Country, and All-Ceylon teams.
The First Visit !!
1907-08 New Zealand in England and Wales
While on the long sea voyage from Australia, the men tried to keep fit by training on the deck.
During a stop over in Ceylon the team was challenged to a game by the Ceylon rugby union.
The All Blacks won the match against Ceylon 33–8.
As a result of this match the rugby union New Zealand side declined to play the Ceylonese on the return leg of their tour, deeming that Ceylon had forfeited their amateur status by playing against Baskerville’s (Rugby League) men.
1955 the New Zealand Colts team toured the island winning against a combined Colombo team 35–5,
Up Country 24-3, All Ceylon 35–nil and against the Barbarians, 33-nil.
Matches played in Sri Lanka
10/09/1955 Colombo Clubs 5-35 New Zealand Colts @Colombo
14/09/1955 Up Country 3-24 New Zealand Colts@Kandy
17/09/1955 Ceylon 0-35 New Zealand Colts @Dimbula Ground, Radella
20/09/1955 Ceylon Barbarians 0-33 New Zealand Colts @Colombo
23/09/1955 Ceylon 0-34 New Zealand Colts @Longden Place, Colombo
COLTS’ TOUR OF CEYLON RUGBY FOOTBALL
TEAMS SELECTED FOR TRIAL MATCH NO PLAYER AGED MORE THAN 20 (New Zealand Press Association)
WELLINGTON, July 8.
No players aged more than 20 have been chosen by the national selectors.
Messrs T. C. Morrison, A. E. Marslin, and J. L. Sullivan, for the trial match to be held at Palmerston North on July 16 to pick the New Zealand Colts team to tour Ceylon.
Most of those selected are on the fringe of big football. Some, mainly from the smaller unions, have won their way into representative football this season.
The choice is in accordance with the wishes and intentions of the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union Council, namely that the tour should give an opportunity to those whose football would be likely to benefit.
Among the nominations passed over were those of promising young players who had already won their way into representative sides in the last season or two.
North Island
Full-back: I.M. Ujour (Hawke’s Bay), 20
Three-quarters: G.R. Gyde (Bush), 20; B.J. Preston (Poverty Bay), 19; B.G. Anderson (Wellington), 19.
Five-eighths: J.P. O’Sullivan (Taranaki), 18; B.T. Fredrickson (Horowhenua), 19.
Half-back. M. Raureta (Bay of Plenty), 19.
Back of scrum: W. Kay (Waikato), 19.
Middle row: P. J. Carde (Wellington), 19; C. Meads (King Country), 19; B. D. Anderson (Auckland), 20; D. Thurston (Wanganui), 17.
Front row: A. Hayes (Waikato), 19; P. Lucas (Taranaki). 20; W. Whineray (Manawatu), 19.
Reserves:
Back, K. A. Wing (Manawatu), 19;
Forward, A. Rowlands (Poverty Bay), 19.
South Island
Full-back: A.J. Duncan (Otago), 20.
Three-quarters: C. Saxton (Nelson), 19; H.W. Goodwin (Mid-Canterbury), 20; A.J. McEnaney (West Coast), 19. Five-eighths: T.L. Green (Marlborough), 20; C. Stewart (Buller). 17.
Half-back: M. F. Whitia (Canterbury), 19.
Back of scrum: A. Soper (Southland), 18.
Middle row: T.I. Egerton (West Coast). 19; L.J. Adams (North Otago), 20; M. J. H. Dods (Canterbury), 20; K. G. Orsbourn (Canterbury), 19.
Front row: J. Marshall (Buller), 18; B. F. Duncan (Otago), 17; R. M. Doig (Mid Canterbury), 18.
Reserves:
Back, L.W. Anderson (Otago), 18;
Forward, R.H. McLenaghen (Mid Canterbury). 18.
N.Z. RUGBY COLTS RETURN
UNBEATEN EIGHT-MATCH TOUR (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, October 13. The New Zealand Colts’ Rugby team, one of the few sides to make an unbeaten overseas . tour, returned to Auckland tonight from Australia and Ceylon. The team, all the members of which are under 21 years of age. scored 211 points and had only 17 scored against it in eight matches. One of the co-managers, Mr A. H. Lindsay, said that the team had played so well he considered it would have been good opposition for any New Zealand provincial side.
How Sir Colin Meads became a Pinetree
Colin Meads was nick named Pine Tree by Taranaki rugby player Roger Boon in 1955.
A tall man walking down a New Plymouth street nearly 80 years ago is the inspiration behind the nickname of one of New Zealand’s greatest All Blacks.
Sir Colin Meads, 81, died on Sunday morning and while much is known of his All Black exploits, the origins of his nickname Pinetree are not so well known.
Ex-Taranaki rugby player and fellow All Black Roger Boon, 82, believes he was the first to give Meads the nickname Pinetree.
The pair were part of the New Zealand Colts team that toured Australia and Ceylon in 1955 and it was in that year when Boon claims to have first used the woody moniker for Meads.
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